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D&D's Evolution: Rulings, Rules, and "System Matters"
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<blockquote data-quote="Chaosmancer" data-source="post: 8396134" data-attributes="member: 6801228"><p>Because one is set in the real world. I can find detailed breakdowns of how mustard gas affected people, what they did to counter it, and how effective it was. </p><p></p><p>I can't do that for how deadly poisonous dragon breath is. Would holding your breath work? That would work on some poisonous gases, but not others. Can you be exposed for 30 seconds, 1 minute, 10 minutes? Again, different gases in the real world clock in at different values, which is this one? </p><p></p><p>I know it is a very specific example, but it is the larger point. Imagination set in reality is set upon a much firmer foundation. For fantasy, we often rely on the rules of the world or system to lay that same foundation.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>They aren't, but what they are well suited for is setting a standard that we can all agree on. For example below:</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>Sure, both have indicated that you can ride a dragon. Can you joust on dragons or must they use ranged attacks and act more like dog fights and aerial aces? Game B might not tell you. Or game A might not tell you. But if there is a rule that says "when riding a creature of X size, you can't engage in melee combat unless someone else jumps on the creature you are riding" then that has answered the question. </p><p></p><p>I'm not trying to say rules are better or story is better. But I want to advocate that rules have their place. They aren't just useless cruft that we should get rid of. It needs to be a mixture.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Chaosmancer, post: 8396134, member: 6801228"] Because one is set in the real world. I can find detailed breakdowns of how mustard gas affected people, what they did to counter it, and how effective it was. I can't do that for how deadly poisonous dragon breath is. Would holding your breath work? That would work on some poisonous gases, but not others. Can you be exposed for 30 seconds, 1 minute, 10 minutes? Again, different gases in the real world clock in at different values, which is this one? I know it is a very specific example, but it is the larger point. Imagination set in reality is set upon a much firmer foundation. For fantasy, we often rely on the rules of the world or system to lay that same foundation. They aren't, but what they are well suited for is setting a standard that we can all agree on. For example below: Sure, both have indicated that you can ride a dragon. Can you joust on dragons or must they use ranged attacks and act more like dog fights and aerial aces? Game B might not tell you. Or game A might not tell you. But if there is a rule that says "when riding a creature of X size, you can't engage in melee combat unless someone else jumps on the creature you are riding" then that has answered the question. I'm not trying to say rules are better or story is better. But I want to advocate that rules have their place. They aren't just useless cruft that we should get rid of. It needs to be a mixture. [/QUOTE]
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D&D's Evolution: Rulings, Rules, and "System Matters"
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